Madeira & Tarragon Sauce
A rich, elegant sauce with the warmth of Madeira and the freshness of tarragon — perfect for game or chicken.
This is a classic restaurant-style sauce that relies on careful reduction and balance rather than complexity. The sweetness of Madeira, the depth of good game stock, and the gentle aniseed notes of fresh tarragon come together to create something quietly luxurious.
By slowly reducing the stock and wine before enriching with cream and butter, you concentrate flavour while keeping the sauce silky and refined. It’s simple, versatile, and incredibly effective.
What You'll Need
Serves 2
| Pure Game Stock | 500ml |
|---|---|
| Madeira | 100ml |
| Double Cream | 100ml |
| Shallots | 2 |
| Garlic | 1 clove |
| Fresh Tarragon | 1 bunch (approx. 20g) |
| Unsalted Butter | 20g |
| Seasoning | Salt & Pepper |
How To Make It
Allow 10g of the butter to foam gently in a small pan over a low heat.
Add the finely diced shallots with a small pinch of salt and soften gently without colouring.
Add the garlic and finely chopped tarragon stalks and sweat gently for a minute.
Pour in the Madeira, increase the heat, and reduce to roughly one third of its original volume.
Add the warmed game stock and reduce until approximately 200ml of liquid remains.
Pass the sauce through a fine sieve into a clean pan.
Add the double cream, season to taste, and simmer gently for 2–3 minutes until the flavours meld.
Finish by stirring in the remaining butter to give the sauce a glossy finish.
Chef’s Tip
Add a squeeze of lemon juice at the end to freshen it up. If want to serve with a chicken, swap out game stock for chicken stock.